Uttar Pradesh today added another industrial milestone to its rapidly growing scorecard as Yogi Adityanath, along with Defence Minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh, inaugurated Ashok Leyland’s new electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant in the state. Built and commissioned in a record 18 months, the world-class facility was formally dedicated to the nation—proving that in today’s Uttar Pradesh, approvals move faster than assembly lines.
The dignitaries toured the plant, planted vermilion and Rudraksha saplings on the premises, and congratulated the Hinduja Group for its continued faith in the state. CM Yogi described the project as a landmark investment, symbolising how Uttar Pradesh has converted “limitless potential” into tangible outcomes.
From Law & Order Headlines to Manufacturing Headlines
Recalling the period before 2017, CM Yogi noted that Uttar Pradesh was once better known for unrest than investment. “Investors were leaving, confidence was low, and the state’s image was under stress,” he said, adding that since assuming office, the government reaffirmed that Uttar Pradesh is a land of opportunity—not uncertainty.
“Some tried to tarnish the state’s image for political reasons, but today Uttar Pradesh is a state of celebration,” the Chief Minister remarked, pointing out that the inauguration itself reflects renewed industry confidence built over the last eight-and-a-half years.
EVs, Employment and Environmental Responsibility
The Ashok Leyland EV plant currently has an annual capacity of 2,500 units, scalable to 5,000 units in phases. CM Yogi said the project aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of balancing industrial growth with environmental responsibility—especially in the context of climate change and sustainability.
The facility is expected to generate direct and indirect employment for thousands of youth. The Chief Minister highlighted that the plant will manufacture 17–18 seater electric buses priced at around ₹15 lakh, aimed at school transport and inter-city connectivity—proof that clean mobility doesn’t have to come with an elite price tag.
Infrastructure that Means Business
CM Yogi underlined that investments are now reaching all 75 districts of the state, backed by a sharp improvement in infrastructure. Uttar Pradesh today hosts 55% of India’s expressways, metro services in the highest number of cities, the country’s largest rail network, two dedicated freight corridors, and expanding logistics hubs. Rapid rail, inland waterways, and transport terminals are no longer proposals—they’re operational realities.
“Before 2017, UP struggled with unrest and an identity crisis. Today, it is a revenue-surplus state driven by clear intent and decisive governance,” he said, adding that Fearless Business, Ease of Doing Business, and Trust of Doing Business now define the new Uttar Pradesh.
Policies, Pipelines and Big Numbers
With 34 sector-specific policies in place, the state has eliminated policy paralysis and opened doors across industries. CM Yogi revealed that Uttar Pradesh has received investment proposals worth ₹45 lakh crore over the last 8–9 years. Of these, projects worth ₹15 lakh crore have already broken ground, ₹6 lakh crore are set for groundbreaking next month, and another ₹5 lakh crore are in the pipeline.
Uttar Pradesh currently contributes 9.5% to India’s GDP, with GSDP expected to touch ₹36 lakh crore by the end of the current financial year. The state has set its sights on becoming a $1 trillion economy by 2029–30, aligning with India’s $5 trillion ambition.
Electronics, EVs and Start-ups Power Ahead
The Chief Minister highlighted UP’s emergence as a national electronics and IT hub, accounting for 55% of mobile phone manufacturing and 60% of electronic goods production in India. The state is also advancing rapidly in EVs, AI, semiconductors, defence manufacturing, fintech, agritech, healthtech, and sports infrastructure.
Uttar Pradesh is now home to over 18,000 startups, supported by 76 incubators, seven Centres of Excellence, and eight unicorns—numbers that would have sounded like fiction a decade ago.
Fast-Track Governance, Real-Time Results
The Ashok Leyland project MoU was signed in September 2023, with land allotment completed by January 2024. Commissioning the plant within 18 months, CM Yogi said, is a direct outcome of the double-engine government’s fast-track approvals and digital platforms like Nivesh Mitra, Nivesh Sarathi, and Udyami Mitra.
In 2024 alone, Uttar Pradesh accounted for 19% of India’s total EV market and currently operates around 700 electric buses under the FAME schemes.
Skills for the Future
CM Yogi also announced that the Hinduja Group and the Uttar Pradesh government will sign an MoU to provide skill development training to 10,000 youth annually at the facility. With ITIs, polytechnics, and engineering institutions being strengthened, the state aims to ensure its vast workforce is future-ready.
“With trust, technology and transformation, Uttar Pradesh is redefining itself,” CM Yogi concluded—suggesting that the state’s journey from headlines of hesitation to headlines of manufacturing momentum is well and truly underway.
Ashok Leyland Chairman Dheeraj Hinduja welcomed the dignitaries, while MD & CEO Shenu Agarwal expressed gratitude for the government’s support. Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, senior cabinet ministers, MLAs, and officials were also present at the inauguration.
